Photographic-printing device



Nov. 10 1925 1,560,959 T. C. WILLSON PEOTOGRAPHIC PRINTING DEVICE FiledMay 23. 1924 2 Sheets-Sheet l 25 E W i 1,560,959 T. c. WILLSON Y vPHOTOGRAPHIC PRINTING DEVICE Nov. 10, 1925.

Filed May 2:; 1924; 2- Sheets-Shale Patented Nev. if,

UNITED STATES THQMAS CARROLL WILLSON, OF PHILADELZPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA.

PHOTOGRAPHIC-PRINTING- DEVICE.

Application filed May 23', 1924,. Serial No. 715,412.

T!) (1-1; LG/101M it may concern.-

Be it known that I, Tnonas Gannon SVILLSON, a citizen of the UnitedStates. re- 1 siding at Philadelphia, in the county of Philadelphia andState of Pennsylvania,

have invented certain new and useful linproveinents inPhotographic-Printing Devices; and I do declare the following to be afull, clear, and exact description; of the invention, such as willenable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and usethe same.

This invention. relates to photographi' printing apparatus by whichsensitized paper or a positive motion picture film may be printed from.a negative motion picture film.

The principal object of the invention is to provide a simple andinexpensive printer of this character which is small and co1-n pact sothat it may be easily carried from place to place and used in any darkroom, and by which either paper or film may be printed rapidly andefiicient-ly by the amateur as well as the professional photographer.

According to the invention the device is in the form of a hollow casingor box having arranged therein a sens tized film com partment and anadjacent negative film compartment. These compartments are provided withadjacent film passages which are arranged to guide the films intocontact i1nmediately aft-er they pass therethrongh. The device alsocontains a novel film guiding means which extends from the film passagesof the two compartments just men tioned to one end of the cas ng. Oneend of the guiding means includes a means for moving the films and theother end includes a means for retarding the films. so that as they passby the exposure light they will be maintained in printing contact. Thedevice also in lndesanovel arrangement of an observat on window andlight by which the density of the negative film may be ob served justbefore it passes into printing contact with the sensitized film.

The present application is a continuation in part of my application Sr.30.1358321 filed August-20. 1923.

The invention is hereinafter more specifically described with referenceto the accompanying drawings. in which similar reference characters areused to designate the corresponding parts throughout the several views.and in which V Fig. l is a front elevation of a device constructed inaccordance withthe principles of the invention, illustrating two of thecover plates in open position and broken away and in section and theremaining cover plate closed but broken away with certain other parts insection.

Fig. 2 is ahorizontal sectional View through the device takensubstantially on the: line 2-2 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a vertical transverse sectional view taken substantially onthe plane indicated by the line 3.3 of Fig. l.

' Fig. 4 is a vertical longitudinal sectional view of a portion of thedevice, illustrating more particularly the above referred to observationwindow and observation light and the film guiding means associatedtherewith.

Fig. 5 is a vertical transverse sectional view of a portion of thedevice taken substantially on the plane indicated by line 55 of Fig. 1;and

Fig. 6 is a vertical longitudinal se"tional view of a portion of thefilm guiding means.

The preferred embodiment of the inventionas illustrated in the drawingscomprises a hollow casing or box 1. the front of which is open butprovided with a hinged coverQ. Preferably the cover 2 is hinged at 3 tothe lower side of the casing, so that when. the device is in use it maybe swung downwardly to a substantially horizontal position. it beingunderstood that the casing itself will be disposed in the uprightposition shown in Figs. 1 and 3 when in use. When the cover 2 is closedit may b secured in this position by means of suitab e co-actingelements 4 carried by the cover and the upper side of the casing. Thecasing 1 is relatively thin, inasmuch as the side formed by the cover 2and the opposite side are in closely spaced relation. Access to thecasing may. however. be obtained by swinging cover 2 downwardly.

Arranged within the casing 1 are merging partitions 5 which form anupper sensitized 'filnr compartment 6 and a lower negative filmcompartment 7. These compartments may'of course be arranged otherwisethan as'shown. but it is probably essential that they be disposed.adjacent each other, for they are each provided with film passages,

the numeral 8 designating the passage leading from the compartment 6 andthe numeral 9 designating the passage from the compartment 7 As will beobserved these passages 8 and 9 are disposed adjacent each other and arearranged so as to guide the films into printing contact immediatelyafter they pass therethrough. In other words, it is essential that thepartltions merge some where near the center of the casing, and that thepassages 8 and 9 leading from adjacent compartments be close together sothat they will merge into the adjacent end of the film guiding meanswhich is hereinafter described.

The upper sensitized film compartment 6 is preferably provided with ahinged cover plate 10 so as to exclude light from the compartment eventhough the main cover plate 2 may be open. The other compartment 7 islikewise provided with a cover plate 11. This is hin ed as at 12 alongits lower edge so that it may be swung downwardly to lie substantiallyhorizontally over the main cover plate 2 when the latter is open.

In each of the compartments 6 and 7 there is mounted a rod 13. uponwhich the films may be supported. In the drawings the numeral 14:designates a roll of sensitized film supported upon the rod 13 in thecompartment 6, the numeral 15 designates a roll of negative filmsupported upon the rod 13 in the compartment 7. Mounted wi hin thecasing 1 and extending from the film passages 8 and 9 to one end of thecasing is a novel film guiding means. This means consists of asubstantiallvtriannular shaped block 16 arranged as shown in Figs. 1 and6 of the drawin s and having its upper side disposed so that the twostrips of film come into printing contact and slide thereover a ter theypass through the passa es 8 and 9. v The corner o the block 16 remotefrom the passages 8 and 9 is rounded as at 17. and th s ro nded edge aswe l as the upper side of the block is covered with a str p 18 of feltor other suitable material which would retard the film as it passesthereover. The films are maintained in printing contact. with one ofthemin engagement with the strip of felt 18 by means of a block' 19 mountedupon a vieldable bracket 2 se ured to the rear side of the casing. Thisblock 19 has its lower surface and ends covered with a strip of felt 21.which bears upon the uppermost strip of film. In order to guide theelements prop erly around the rounded corner or edge of the blo k 16 theouter s dev of this corner or edge 17 is flan ed,jthis preferablv beingdone by means ofa circular plate 22.-

After passing around the rounded corner or ed e 17 of the block 16 thefilms pass around thelowe'ii-sideof a roller 23 which isrotatablyinountedupmi a spindle secured.

to the back of the casing. From there the films pass around anotherroller 24, which is fixed upon a rotatable shaft. The rear end of thisshaft extends back of the casing 1, where it is provided with anoperating handle so that it may be rotated. At each end the roller 24 isprovided with a sprocket wheel 26 adapted to engage the series ofperforations along the edges of the films. It will therefore be seenthat as the handle 25 is turned and the roller 24 and sprocket wheels 26are rotated the films will be compartments 6 and 7.

After passing around the roller 24 the films pass throu h a slot 28arranged in the film may be passed into the developing ap aratus.

In order to hold the two films in a proper enga ement with the sprocketwheels 26, a roller 29 s arranged to bear upon them.- As will beobserved from Fig. 5, this roller is provided at its ends withperipheral ogives 39. into which the sprocket wheels 26 t. offsetrelation upon the lower end of a plunger 31. This plunger 31 isslidaloly mounted upon the aforesaid end of the casing 1. It ispreferably in the form of a plate having a pin and slot connection 32with the end of the casing and is provided at its upper end with a rod33 which passes throu h the aperture in an angular guide plate 34secured to the end of the casing. Surrounding the rod 33 and disposedbetween the horizontal portion of the guide plate 34 and a similarportion of the plate 31 is a coil spring 35. This is adapted tovieldably maintain the plunger 31 in its lowermost position with theroller 29 in enga ement with the films. However, it permits the plungerand roller 29 to be raised so that the films may be disengaged from thesprocket wheels 26. When raised. the plun er 31 may be sli htly cantedor tilted so that either a portion of it or the rear end of the roller2-9 may hook over a shoulder 36 formed upon the rear wall of the casing1 to hold the plun er and roller in rais d posit on. This position ofthe parts is llustrated bv dotted lines in Fig. 5.

Disposed within the casing 1 is a small housing 37. in which is mountedan electric light 38. The upper side of this housing has a slot 39disposed close to and directly below the roller 23. and the light 88 isdisposed directly below the slot. so that the rays of light from thebulb will pass through the slut39 on to the films as they pass aroundthe roller 23. The cover plate 11 for the compartment '7 also closes thefront of the housi g", it being provided with a por ion drawn throughthe guiding means from the 1 The roller 29 is mounted in an 4-0 designedto enter the front end of the housing.

The hereinbetore mentioned block 16 and the housing 3'? serve aspartitioning means in conjunction with the partitions 5.

The other end of the casing 1 is provided with an observation opening41. A hinged cover plate l2 fits in this opening. This cover plate isadapted to be opened by swinging it downwardly, and when closed it maybe locked by a suitable element d3. Arranged in the compartment 7 inline with the observation opening 41 is a housing 44 in which is mountedan electric light bulb l5. This housing A is arranged in slightly spacedrelation from the end of the casing 1 and from the lower side of thehorizontal partition 5, so that it terms a means to guide the negativefilm 15 past the observation opening 41, that is, between said openingand the light as, on its way to the film passage 9. By this means thedensity of the negative film may be observedjust prior to the time thatportion of the film is printed, so that the operator will be able tojudge how fast to turn the handle 25.

If desired the device may contain a push and pull or other suitableswitch 46 for controlling the electric current through the electriclight bulbs 38 and 45.

In using the device the sensitized paper or film should be placed in thecompartment 6 as hereinbetore indicated and the negative film should beplaced in the compartment 7. The ends 01" these films should be passedthrough the passages 8 and 9, the negative film 15 being passed aroundthe housing it-1t as shown in Fig. 1. After passing through the passages8 and 9 the films will be brought into printing contact between theupper side of the block 16 and the lower side of the block 19. They willthen pass in this relation around the rounded corner or edge of theblock 16 and then around the lower side of the roller 2-3, then aroundthe upper side of the roller 24 under the roller 29 and through the slot28 in the end of the casing. With the parts arranged in this relationand with the various cover plates closed, the printing of the sensitizedfilm may be done simply by turning the handle at the proper speeddepending upon the density of the negative as can be observed when thecover as of the observation opening 41 is open.

From the foregoing description, taken in connection with theaccompanying drawings, the construction, operation, use and advantagesof the invention will be readily underste od, so that furtherexplanation is unneces sary, except to en'iphasize that the device is ofvery simple and compact structure so that it may be easily moved fromplace to place and set up for use in any dark room.

It is obvious that various changes may he made in form, proportion, andin the various features of construction without departing from thespirit and principle of the in' vention or without sacrificing any ofthe advantages thereof, so that it is to be under stood that changes 01"this nature may be made without departing from the meaning and scope otthe appended claims.

I claim:

1. A photographic printer comprising a hollow casing provided on theinside with merging partitions dividing it into compartmentgstripguiding means mounted in said casing and extending from the point wheresaid partitions merge to one end of said casing, the partition structureat said point being provided with passages leading from two of saidcompartments, said passages merging into the adjacent inner end of saidguiding means, the last mentioned compartments being adapted to receivea supply of developed negative and sensitized photographic strips and a.light mounted in one of said compartments other than the last mentionedto shine upon said strips as they pass along said guiding means.

2. A structure as specified in claim 1, in which the casing has closelyspaced opposed sides, one of which is outwardly movable to give accessto the compartments within the casing.

3. A photographic printer comprising a hollow casing provided on theinside with transverse partitions, said partitions merging atsubstantially the central portion of said casing, forming an uppersensitized photographic strip compartment, a lower negative filmcompartment beneath said strip compartment, and a lower exposure lightcompartment beside said film compartment, strip and film guiding meansmounted in said casing and extending from the point where saidpartitions merge over one of the partitions forming said exposure lightcompartment to one end of said casin the last mentioned partition havinga slot, the partition structure at said point being provided withpassages leading from said strip and film compartments, said passagesmerging into the adj acentinner end of said guiding means, and a lightmounted in said exposure light compartment below said slot to shinethrough the latter onto the strip and film as they pass along saidguiding means.

4:. A device of the class described comprising a hollow casing havingarranged therein a sensitized film compartment and an adjacent negativefilm compartment, said compartments being provided with adjacent filmpassages arranged to guide the films into contact immediately afterpassing therethrough, film guiding and feeding means mounted in saidcasing and extending from said passages to one end of said casing,

lUO

Said means including a driven roller provided with sprocket wheels atthe ends thereof to engage the perforations with which the films areprovided and a peripherally.

grooved roller co-operating With the first mentioned roller and saidsprocket wheels, a plunger on which the last mentioned roller ismounted, said plunger being slidably mounted in said casing and beingspring pressed into engagement with the first mentioned roller, ashoulder formed in said casing at a position to engage and hold saidplunger with the last named roller out of engagement with the firstmentioned roller while the films are being placed in the casing andguiding means, and an exposure light mounted in said casing to shineupon the films as they pass through said guiding means.

5. A structure as specified in claim 1, in

which the negative strip compartment is provided with an observationopening, a light mounted in such compartment in line with such opening,and means in such compartment to guide the sensitized strip between suchlight and such opening before it passes out of such compartment, so thatthe density of the negative may be observed.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto affixed my signature,

THOMAS CARROLL WVILLSON.

